|
Bouchard
Finlayson
Visiting one of South Africa's most interesting wine regions, Hemel-en-Aarde, part
2
Website: www.bouchardfinlayson.com
Peter Finlayson (pictured above)
is one of the pioneers of Hemel-en-Aarde. He was the original
winemaker at Hamilton Russell, the region’s founding winery, and
after 10 years left to set up on his own, in 1989. For a long time,
Bouchard Finlayson and Hamilton Russell were the standard bearers
for top quality South African Pinot Noir; it’s only recently that
other producers have joined them in making serious examples of this
variety.
Bouchard Finlayson, as the name suggests,
was a partnership, including Paul Bouchard. ‘I got a group
together of 18 people,’ says Finlayson. ‘It lasted 10 years, but
eventually became political.’ The property, including Finlayson's
share, was bought by the Tollman family.
The property is 120 hectares, with 22 of
these planted to vines. More than half is Pinot Noir, a variety that
Finlayson is ideal for the region. ‘Where Pinot Noir is concerned
there have been more accolades and honours taken from the wineries
in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley than anywhere else in South Africa,’
he says. ‘It is a combination of heavy clay soils with a very soft
climate. We are very fortunate to have the cold ocean running past
us and this moderates temperatures nicely.’
‘Pinot Noir does well here,’ claims
Finlayson. ‘It is one of the few areas outside Burgundy where one
gets good structure in the Pinot Noirs.’
From 2011 Finlayson has been using the
new Hemel-en-Aarde Valley appellation for the wines that qualify,
and the first wine labelled this way is the Galpin Peak Pinot. The
Valley has Bokkeveld Shale soils, which have two distinct layers. The
top layer consists of a mixture of clay and gravel, while under this
there is clay shale. The clay acts as a water reserve during the
growing season, which allows for moderate but not severe water
stress, something that red varieties in particular benefit from.
THE
WINES
Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc
Reserve 2009 Walker Bay, South Africa
Very crisp and pure. Lively citrus fruit with some grapefruit
notes. Incredibly tight, with great acidity, even after four years.
91/100
Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc
Reserve 2012 Walker Bay, South Africa
Very focused with fresh grapefruit, and a bit of lemon. Lively,
laser-sharp and mineral. Pure. 92/100
Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc
2012 Walker Bay, South Africa
This is Bouchard Finlayson's biggest-selling wine. Very fresh
and lively with a touch of herbiness. Nice focused bright fruit,
Lively and pure with nice precision. 89/100
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot
Noir 2011 Walker Bay, South Africa
Lovely supple, warm, spicy cherry fruit. Nicely savoury as well
as fruity, with fine cherry fruit and some plums. Real elegance
here, with nice purity and complexity, as well as some subtle meaty
hints. 93/100
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Tête
de Cuvée Pinot Noir 2009 Walker Bay, South Africa
A barrel selection, 100% new oak. Sweet, juicy and spicy with
lovely ripe cherry and berry fruits. Sleek with good texture and
nice concentration. There's structure here, but it is not intrusive.
Finely mineral with well integrated oak. 93/100
Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal 2009
Walker Bay, South Africa
A Sangiovese-based blend. Vibrant, very spicy and quite savoury
on the nose, with some tar notes. Ripe, dense, meaty and spicy on
the palate, with a zippy finish. Distinctive. 90/100
Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal 2010
Walker Bay, South Africa
Spicy and fine with black cherry and plum fruit. Ripe with spicy
and subtle tar notes. Vivid and expressive with nice detail. 92/100
Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat
Chardonnay 2012 Overberg, South Africa
Lively and precise with lovely fruit. Notes of citrus and herbs
with white peach, too. Great acidity and freshness. 92/100
Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale
Chardonnay 2011 Walker Bay, South Africa
Wonderfully toasty and fine with citrus and hazelnuts on the
nose. Fresh palate with good focus and subtle oak notes. Fine
acidity. Fresh, pure and interesting. 93/100
Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale
Chardonnay 2009 Walker Bay, South Africa
Some mealy, bready notes here with a bit of toast and some
nuttiness. Fine and fresh but with depth to it, showing apples,
pear, citrus and spice. 93/100
Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat Limited
Edition 2010 Overberg, South Africa
50% new wood, 50% unoaked. Lively and precise with full flavours
allied to freshness. Brilliantly pure with subtle toasty, nutty
notes. Fresh, linear and pure. 94/100
Visiting Hemel-en-Aarde
 Introduction
Bouchard
Finlayson
Newton
Johnson
Hamilton
Russell
Ataraxia
Creation
Crystallum
Wines
tasted 03/13
Find these wines with wine-searcher.com
Back
to top
|
